Aiden English, Prince Devitt and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

Aiden English, Prince Devitt and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

The WWE NXT tag team division is getting an artiste in Aiden English, and the Performance Center is reportedly welcoming Prince Devitt this summer.

English has partnered up with a gentleman bruiser, and English is ready to enter a new phase of his career. Devitt is set for big changes as well, changes which may include a trip to Florida in a few months.

In other stories, Full Sail University may soon play host to a plethora of stars from the main roster, a recent report reveals some of the reasons Ricochet didn't receive a developmental deal and Tommy Maclin is now going by a new moniker.

This latest round of NXT news begins, though, with a familiar topic—if and when fans are going to see Kevin Steen, KENTA and Devitt in WWE's employ.

Updates on Top Indy Stars

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WWE developmental is reportedly set to host three of the top talents on the independent circuit.

For much of 2014, fans have been hearing rumors, reports and buzz about Kevin Steen, Prince Devitt and KENTA joining the WWE. The latest word is that all three will begin their training in Florida.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, via Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc, "It's said that as things are currently planned, if all goes right, we will see top independent stars KENTA, Kevin Steen and Prince Devitt at the WWE Performance Center in August."

Should that scenario play out, it's going to be a surreal sight for fans of independent wrestling. KENTA has always seemed too stiff a worker for WWE, Steen doesn't have the typical WWE look, and Devitt is smaller than most of the wrestlers the company covets.

Devitt, however, denies that his WWE arrival is imminent. He told the folks at the Low Blows podcast, "I'm happy doing my thing at home" and called word of him heading to NXT "purely speculation."

There sure is a lot of smoke for there to not be any fire.

Backstage reports have certainly been wrong before, but there have been a ton of them regarding Devitt working for WWE. Many fans won't believe what Devitt said in that interview until August has come and gone without him taking up residence in Florida.

NXT Prospect Gets New Ring Name

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Unless you're CM Punk, indy wrestlers know that the name they used elsewhere will be replaced once their developmental career gets rolling. That inevitability came true for "Trademark" Tommy Maclin.

He has yet to appear on NXT TV, but the former Marine has taken one of the first steps in the NXT process. He now shares a surname with Jon Cutler of Manitoba, who briefly worked for WWE, and The Cutler Brothers, who had a short run on the West Coast.

Full Sail University to Potentially Host WWE Event

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Raw has traveled to Tokyo, London and Mexico City. It could be on its way to a place it's never been before—NXT.

WWE officials have had discussions about doing a one-time event with the main roster at the NXT Arena at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida.

The event wouldn't take place until some time next year and would likely be a RAW.

Full Sail University is much smaller than the places WWE usually travels, but it's an intimate setting that helps create an electric atmosphere. Nothing will likely replace the ECW crowds in the Hammerstein Ballroom or the ECW Arena, but there is a similar energy to shows inside this building.

NXT's home base hosting Raw would make for a unique night, giving the show a radically different feel.

Backstage Word on Why WWE Didn't Sign Ricochet

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Ricochet, who has worked for Dragon Gate, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and several other promotions, was one of many indy stars at a recent WWE tryout.

The company didn't offer him a deal afterward. A recent report offers some insight into why it didn't.

While Ricochet received high marks from those who judge talents at the tryouts, the decision was NXT already had too many guys of Ricochet's size in developmental and they had more than their quota of high flyers, so Ricochet was not offered a deal.

The report also notes that NXT agent Jamie Noble was pulling for Ricochet, but it wasn't enough to convince officials.

Considering this news, The American Wolves not getting signed and the amount of great undersized wrestlers working today, WWE may need to reconsider how it scouts. If an increasing amount of the world's top talents are cruiserweights, WWE would be wise to restart that division rather than just reject potential stars.

New NXT Tag Team

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Aiden English and Simon Gotch have joined forces.

The team known as "The Vaudevillains" has been working several NXT house shows and two recent TV tapings, per PWInsider (via WrestleView.com). Billy Hornby (@ImmejustBilly) tweeted a pic of the two partners during their entrance. English himself sent a tweet acknowledging the new partnership.

The pairing is a smart move by WWE, as it provides an intriguing way to introduce Gotch.

English will benefit as well. He's managed to rise to NXT's second tier but failed to climb any higher. Infusing new energy into his gimmick and having him and Gotch potentially dominate a thin tag team division allows him to grab more of the spotlight each week.